diff --git a/.github/workflows/_unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/_unit-tests.yml
index be2cac09..8e113b88 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/_unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/_unit-tests.yml
@@ -63,4 +63,3 @@ jobs:
         -   uses: pypa/hatch@install
         -   run: hatch run unit-tests
             shell: bash
-            working-directory: ./${{ inputs.package }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/_verify-build.yml b/.github/workflows/_verify-build.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..241b28c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/_verify-build.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+name: "Verify build"
+
+on:
+    workflow_call:
+        inputs:
+            package:
+                description: "Choose the package to build"
+                type: string
+                default: "dbt-adapters"
+            branch:
+                description: "Choose the branch to build"
+                type: string
+                default: "main"
+            repository:
+                description: "Choose the repository to build, (used primarily when testing a fork)"
+                type: string
+                default: "dbt-labs/dbt-adapters"
+            os:
+                description: "Choose the OS to test against"
+                type: string
+                default: ${{ vars.DEFAULT_RUNNER }}
+            python-version:
+                description: "Choose the Python version to test against"
+                type: string
+                default: ${{ vars.DEFAULT_PYTHON_VERSION }}
+    workflow_dispatch:
+        inputs:
+            package:
+                description: "Choose the package to build"
+                type: choice
+                options: ["dbt-adapters", "dbt-tests-adapter"]
+            branch:
+                description: "Choose the branch to build"
+                type: string
+                default: "main"
+            repository:
+                description: "Choose the repository to build, (used primarily when testing a fork)"
+                type: string
+                default: "dbt-labs/dbt-adapters"
+            os:
+                description: "Choose the OS to test against"
+                type: string
+                default: ${{ vars.DEFAULT_RUNNER }}
+            python-version:
+                description: "Choose the Python version to test against"
+                type: choice
+                options: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+
+permissions: read-all
+
+defaults:
+    run:
+        shell: bash
+
+jobs:
+    package:
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/_package-directory.yml
+        with:
+            package: ${{ inputs.package }}
+
+    build:
+        needs: package
+        runs-on: ${{ inputs.os }}
+        steps:
+        -   uses: actions/checkout@v4
+            with:
+                ref: ${{ inputs.branch }}
+        -   uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+            with:
+                python-version: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
+        -   uses: pypa/hatch@install
+        -   run: hatch build && hatch run build:check-all
+            working-directory: ./${{ needs.package.outputs.directory }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-request-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-request-checks.yml
index 2322ff91..770deef3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-request-checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-request-checks.yml
@@ -16,21 +16,33 @@ jobs:
             branch: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
             repository: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name }}
 
-    unit-tests:
-        uses: ./.github/workflows/_unit-tests.yml
+    verify-builds:
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/_verify-build.yml
+        strategy:
+            matrix:
+                package: ["dbt-adapters", "dbt-tests-adapter"]
+                python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
         with:
             package: ${{ matrix.package }}
             branch: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
             repository: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name }}
+            python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+
+    unit-tests:
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/_unit-tests.yml
         strategy:
             matrix:
                 package: ["dbt-adapters"]
+        with:
+            package: ${{ matrix.package }}
+            branch: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
+            repository: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name }}
 
     # This job does nothing and is only used for branch protection
     results:
-        name: "Pull request checks"
+        name: "Pull request checks"  # keep this name, branch protection references it
         if: always()
-        needs: [code-quality, unit-tests]
+        needs: [code-quality, verify-builds, unit-tests]
         runs-on: ${{ vars.DEFAULT_RUNNER }}
         steps:
         -   uses: re-actors/alls-green@release/v1